Guests needed palm-tree hair to gain entry to the imagined soirée at the Jacquemus Fall 2026 presentation. Simon Porte Jacquemus centered his latest presentation around le palmier, the gravity-defying hairstyle that was popular throughout the 1980s. French Elle responded with an online tutorial. The invitation included a wide-tooth comb and styling instructions. Yet, beyond the gimmick, questions arose about whether nostalgia had overtaken innovation.
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| 🎭 Show: Jacquemus Fall 2026 runway show 🏛️ Location: Musée Picasso, Paris 🖼️ Main inspiration: Paloma Picasso & 1980s glamour ✂️ Strengths: Tailoring, pencil skirts, draped jersey, menswear growth 🎬 Weaknesses: Theatrical excess, uneven editing, heavy nostalgia 🇺🇸 Business focus: United States as key growth market 🏬 Expansion: Miami Design District boutique opening |
Jacquemus returned to the Musée Picasso for only the second time since 2017, when he first achieved the seemingly impossible by staging a show in the prestigious institution. His choice of venue underscored his fixation on Paloma Picasso, jewelry designer and daughter of Pablo Picasso. A photograph of her by Helmut Newton hung on his mood board. The photograph showed Paloma in a one-shouldered black dress with her exposed breast concealed by a tall glass. The designer recreated this look for the finale of the show.
The collection featured sculptural silhouettes from another era. Batwing coats appeared alongside cocktail dresses and luncheon suits that could have been worn by Ivana Trump during her heyday in Manhattan. Skirts hugged hips and thighs before flaring into ruffles below the knee. Several outfits veered into pastiche territory. The show ran long, and not every look deserved its place on the runway.
Pencil skirts were more successful. Bra-like tops and demonstrative white shirts exuded confidence. Draped jersey dresses moved well on the body. Hourglass shapes in clingy knits delivered the sensuality Jacquemus promised. The designer found his footing when he worked with natural body lines rather than imposed structures.
The menswear told a different story. A suit in Play-Doh colors raised eyebrows, though the playful treatment of tuxedo dressing felt original. During preview appointments, Jacquemus revealed that menswear sales now equal womenswear sales. Pants, shirts, and tailoring drive much of that success. The brand is continuing its expansion with the opening of a boutique in the Miami Design District this fall. The United States has become his linchpin market.
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Jacquemus transformed the museum into an imagined mansion for a fancy party. The models wore feathery finery that bordered on costumes. The designer acknowledged this deliberate excess. His stated obsession for the year is having fun and not taking things too seriously. Guests watched Elton John, Sophie Marceau, and Josh Hartnett enter the building. Jacquemus himself bounded through the space for an extended bow, spinning and kicking up his heels.
His grandmother, Liline Jacquemus, sat in the front row. She was recently named brand ambassador. She confirmed her willingness to model for her grandson whenever he needs her. “Family comes first,” she said. Elizabeth Olsen reminisced about bad haircuts, but Damson Idris insisted that he had never had one.
Few guests attempted the palmier hairstyle. The kooky look served more as a marketing device than as a genuine trend. Similarly, his collaboration with Air France for first-class passengers extends the brand’s storytelling beyond the runway. French fashion journalism has long documented Jacquemus’s ability to generate conversation through unexpected gestures. His previous show nodded to his Provençal roots and late mother. This time, he wanted something different, he explained. A chance meeting with Paloma Picasso redirected his thinking.
However, the change raised concerns. Jacquemus built his independent fashion empire through his distinctive vision. Stores now operate in New York, Los Angeles, London, and Paris, with more locations planned. The brand has succeeded by writing its own history rather than borrowing from others. Fashion accommodates paeans to past icons and retro deep dives. Young designers often look backward before finding their forward momentum.
But Jacquemus occupies a different position now. Eight years separate this Musée Picasso show from the first. The label has grown from promising talent to an established force. Independence brings both freedom and responsibility. The designer must decide whether to rely on proven formulas or venture into uncharted territory.
The Jacquemus Fall 2026 collection suggests ambivalence. Rigorous tailoring appeared alongside theatrical excess. While some pieces felt derivative, others showed genuine invention. The designer possesses technical skill and commercial instinct. His fans number in the thousands, many of whom are too young to recognize the Helmut Newton photograph that inspired the finale. They will seek it out and develop their own obsessions.
